I. Pre-Treatment Reading Activities!
1) Visit this link: Wordle Activity look at the wordle exercise and try to imagine the tittle and the main idea of this short story.
2) Create a vocabulary list of all the words that you don't know and then look for them in the dictionary.
3) Check out this link: Glogster-Rabbit and try to image a little bit more about the story.
II.Reading activity. Read this traditional tale from Central Africa and underline all the words that you don't know. Do you like this story? Have you ever heard about it?
The Rabbit Grows a Crop of Money
When the rainy season began and the chief was arranging the gardening program,
he called the animals and asked what each would sow. One chose maize and another millet.
One promised to grow kassava and another rice.
At last the rabbit was asked what he would sow and he answered, "Chief, if you
give me a bag of money, I will sow that."
"Whoever heard of sowing money?" asked the chief.
"Then I will show you how to do it," answered Kalulu.
When Kalulu received the bag of money, however, he went off and spent it all on
clothes, dried fish, beads and other things.
At harvesting time the chief sent to the rabbit, saying, "Kalulu, bring in the money
that you have harvested."
"The money grows very slowly. It is just in the blade," said Kalulu.
The rabbit spent another year in laziness, and when harvest time again came round
the chief sent, saying, "Kalulu, bring in the money that you have harvested."
"The money grows very very slowly. It is just in flower," answered Kalulu.
Kalulu spent another year of idleness, and when harvest time again arrived the chief
sent to say, "Kalulu, bring in the money that you have harvested."
"The money grows very slowly," said the rabbit. "It is just in the ear."
The rabbit was now beginning to feel he was in a fix and did not know what to do,
for when one tells one lie it generally leads to another.
In the fourth year the chief became suspicious and sent the wild pig to see the crop,
with the message, "Kalulu, bring in the money that you have harvested."
Kalulu knew now that he must do something, but he did not know what to do. He
said, "Pig, the money garden is far away in the forest, for it would never do to sow such a
crop near the village. Everyone would want to steal it."
"Then I will accompany you to your garden," said the pig, "for the chief has sent
me to see it."
Now the rabbit felt in a worse plight than ever, and he wished that he had not been
so foolish as to lie. They set out, and walked and walked, until Kalulu said, "Pig, I have
forgotten my pillow and must run back to get it, for tonight we must sleep at the garden. It
is now too far to get back in one day."
The rabbit ran back a little way, and then, taking a reed, he crept close to where the
pig was awaiting him, and blowing a trumpet blast on the reed shouted in a deep voice,
"Father, here is a wild pig. Come quickly and let us kill him."
The pig thought that the hunters were upon his track and ran for his life. Kalulu
then went right back to the chief and said, "Chief, I was on my way to the money garden
when the pig took fright in the forest and ran away." 2
The chief was very angry, and after threatening to punish the pig he said, "Lion,
you are not afraid of the forest. Go with Kalulu, that he may show you his money garden."
Now She rabbit felt in a worse plight than ever, and he wished that he had not been
so foolish as to lie. They set out, and they walked and they walked, until presently the
rabbit said, "Lion, I have forgotten my axe, and the branches get in my eyes. Just wait till I
run home for the axe."
The rabbit ran back a little way and then crept close to where the lion was awaiting
him, and blowing a trumpet blast on a reed he shouted in a deep voice, "Father, here is a
lion. Bring your arrows and let us shoot him."
The lion was so frightened when he thought that the hunters were upon his track
that he ran for his life. Kalulu then went straight to the chief and said, "Chief, I was taking
the lion to see the beautiful crop of money that I have grown for you, but he took fright in
the forest and ran away."
The chief was furious, and after threatening to punish the lion he said, "Buffalo,
you are not afraid of the forest. Go with Kalulu, that he may show you his money garden."
Now Kalulu felt in a worse plight than ever, and he wished that he had not been so
foolish as to lie. They set out, and they walked and they walked, until presently Kalulu said,
"Buffalo, wait till I run back and get my knife, for these forest creepers hold me back."
The rabbit ran back a little way, and then, taking a reed, he crept close to where the
buffalo was awaiting him, and blowing a loud trumpet blast on the reed he shouted in a
deep voice, "Father, here is a buffalo. Bring your spears and let us kill him."
The buffalo thought that the hunters were upon him and ran for his life. Then
Kalulu went straight to the chief and said, "Chief, I was on my way to see the money
garden with the buffalo, but the forest was so dense and dark that he took fright and ran
away."
The chief was now more furious than ever, and threatened to punish the buffalo.
"Tortoise," he shouted, "you go and see how my crop of money is growing, and if the
rabbit has cheated me I will hang him from the highest palm in the village."
Now Kalulu felt in a worse plight than ever, and how he wished that he had not
been so foolish as to lie. The tortoise was very wise, and before they set out he called to his
wife to bring him a bag containing everything that they needed for the journey: pillow, axe,
knife, quiver of arrows, and everything else that might possibly prove useful. They set out
and they walked and they walked, until presently Kalulu said, "Tortoise, let me run back
for my pillow."
"It's all right," said the tortoise. "You can use mine."
They went on and on, until Kalulu said, "Tortoise, let me run back for my axe."
"Don't worry," said the tortoise. "I have mine here."
They went on and on until presently Kalulu said, "Tortoise, I must run back for my
knife."
"It does not matter," said the tortoise. "I have mine here."
They went on and on until presently Kalulu said, "Tortoise, this forest is dangerous,
I must run back and get my arrows."
"It's all right," said the tortoise. "I have my arrows here." 3
The rabbit now felt in a worse plight than ever. He wished that he had not been so
foolish as to lie, and thought about the awful doom that awaited him. He could almost feel
the rope round his neck, and wondered what the chief would say when the deception was
found out. Finally, in his fright, he ran off into the forest and bolted home as fast as his legs
could carry him.
"Quick, wife!" he shouted. "We have not a moment to lose. You must pretend that I
am your baby. Pull all my fur out, and rub me over with red clay. Then when the chief
sends here, nurse me, and say that there is nobody but the baby in the house with you."
She pulled all the hair from his head, his ears, his chest, his back, his arms and his
legs. Oh, how it hurt! Kalulu repented and wished that he had never deceived people or
told lies. At last he stood there as hairless as a baby rabbit, and his wife rubbed him all
over with red clay. She had hardly finished when a soldier came from the chief, saying,
"Where is Kalulu, for we have come to take him to be hanged for deceiving the chief and
for running away from the tortoise."
"Baby and I are the only rabbits in the house," said Kalulu's wife.
"Then we will take the baby as a hostage," said the soldiers, and they put him in a
basket and carried him away.
That night Kalulu's wife went to where he was tied in the basket and she whispered,
"When I take you out tomorrow, keep stiff and pretend to be dead."
Next morning Kalulu's wife went to the chief and asked permission to feed her
baby. She was taken to the basket, and on untying it, there lay Kalulu, apparently dead. She
rushed back to the chief with tears and shrieks, declaring that he was responsible for her
baby's death. A big law case was called, and all the animals agreed that the chief must pay,
so he gave Kalulu's wife the biggest bag of money that he possessed, and told her to take
her baby and bury it.
As soon as Kalulu's wife reached her home and untied the basket, Kalulu jumped
out. "Oh, how I have suffered," he groaned. "I had to keep stiff though my limbs ached and
my toes were cramped in the basket. I will never deceive anyone or tell lies again."
His wife showed him the bag of money, and after waiting till his hair was grown,
he set out with it for the chief's village.
"Chief," he said, "I have just returned from my long, long journey to get you the
harvest from your money. Here it is. The tortoise was too slow, and I could not stop for
him."
The chief took the money and thanked Kalulu for the splendid crop, but was
ashamed to tell him of his dead baby. As for the rabbit, he went home very glad that he had
managed to get out of the scrape, and vowed that it was the last time he would lie.
III. Post-Treatment Reading Activity.
1. Look and watch carefully for the answers!
1. Find an adjective in the text. Write the adjective and the noun it describes.
2. Find and write a simple sentence, compound sentence, and a complex sentence from the text.
3. Write down the names of the main characters.
4. Describe, in five lines, the country where the tale comes from.
5. Write a definition of ‘maize’, and give a synonym. Find a homophone for so and write it.
6. Do you know who is Beatrix Potter? Have you ever heard about Peter Rabbit? Click this link and write a fact about her.
7. There was a rabbit in Alice in the Wonderland. Who wrote this book?
2. Would you like to know something about traditional Ethiopian tales? Click this link and choose one of the stories. Read the story and summarize it in four or five lines. Do you think the structure of The Rabbit grows a Crop of Money is similar to the tale you have chosen?
3. This African tale "The rabbit that grows a crop of money" has a happy ending. Write an alternative (unhappy) ending to the story in order to don’t forget the moral of the story (not to tell lies). Afterwards listen to this song: Don’t lie (Black Eyed Peas)
4. The Rabbit grows a Crop of Money have some similarities with The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28). Click this link and read the parable. The parable tells of a master who was leaving his home to travel, and before going gave his three servants different amounts of money. Two servants doubled their money and one servant didn't. The servant who did not was reprimanded. Which are the similarities?
5. Do you know the origin of the Easter Rabbit?
‘The Easter Bunny or Easter Rabbit is a character depicted as a rabbit bringing Easter eggs, who sometimes is depicted with clothes. In legend, the creature brings baskets filled with coloured eggs, candy and sometimes also toys to the homes of children, and as such shows similarities to Father Christmas, as they both bring gifts to children on the night before their respective holiday. It was first mentioned in George Franck von Frankenau’s De ovis paschalibus (About Easter Eggs) in 1682 referring to an Alsace tradition of an Easter Hare bringing Easter Eggs’ (from wikipedia).
6. Now, read this short story written by Beatrix Potter and describe the main character.
| Easter Fun - Short Stories to share at Easter Time |
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
by Beatrix Potter
Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were: Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter.
They lived with their Mother in a sandbank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree.
"Now, my dears," said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, "you may go into the fields or down the lane,
but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden - your Father had an accident there, he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor."
"Now run along, and don't get into mischief. I am going out."
Then old Mrs. Rabbit took a basket and her umbrella, to the baker's. She bought a loaf of brown bread
and five currant buns.
Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries.
But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate!
First he ate some lettuces and some French beans, and then he ate some radishes.
And then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some parsley.
But round the end of a cucumber frame, whom should he meet but Mr. McGregor!
Mr. McGregor was on his hands and knees planting out young cabbages, but he jumped up
and ran after Peter, waving a rake and calling out, "Stop thief!"
Peter was most dreadfully frightened - he rushed all over the garden, for he had forgotten the way back
to the gate.
He lost one of his shoes among the cabbages, and the other shoe amongst the potatoes.
After losing them, he ran on four legs and went faster, so that I think he might have got away altogether if he
had not unfortunately run into a gooseberry net, and got caught by the large buttons on his jacket. It was a blue jacket with brass buttons, quite new.
Peter gave himself up for lost, and shed big tears - but his sobs were overheard by some friendly sparrows,
who flew to him in great excitement, and implored him to exert himself.
Mr. McGregor came up with a sieve, which he intended to pop upon the top of Peter - but Peter wriggled out
just in time, leaving his jacket behind him.
And rushed into the toolshed, and jumped into a can. It would have been a beautiful thing to hide in, if it had
not had so much water in it.
Mr. McGregor was quite sure that Peter was somewhere in the toolshed, perhaps hidden underneath
a flower-pot. He began to turn them over carefully, looking under each.
Presently Peter sneezed, "Kertyschoo!" Mr. McGregor was after him in no time, and tried to put his
foot upon Peter, who jumped out of a window, upsetting three plants. The window was too small for Mr. McGregor, and he was tired of running after Peter. He went back to his work.
Peter sat down to rest - he was out of breath and trembling with fright, and he had not the least idea
which way to go. Also he was very damp with sitting in that can.
After a time he began to wander about, going lippity - lippity - not very fast, and looking all around.
He found a door in a wall - but it was locked, and there was no room for a fat little rabbit to squeeze
underneath.
An old mouse was running in and out over the stone doorstep, carrying peas and beans to her family in
the wood. Peter asked her the way to the gate, but she had such a large pea in her mouth that she could not answer. She only shook her head at him. Peter began to cry.
Then he tried to find his way straight across the garden, but he became more and more puzzled.
Presently, he came to a pond where Mr. McGregor filled his water cans. A white cat was staring at some goldfish - she sat very, very still, but now and then the tip of her tail twitched as if it were alive. Peter thought it best to go away without speaking to her - he had heard about cats from his cousin, little Benjamin Bunny.
He went back towards the tool-shed, but suddenly, quite close to him, he heard the noise of a hoe
- scr-r-ritch, scratch, scratch, scritch. Peter scuttered underneath the bushes. But presently, as nothing happened, he came out,and climbed upon a wheelbarrow, and peeped over. The first thing he saw was Mr. McGregor hoeing onions. His back was turned towards Peter, and beyond him was the gate!
Peter got down very quietly off the wheelbarrow, and started running as fast as he could go, along a straight
walk behind some black currant bushes.
Mr. McGregor caught sight of him at the corner, but Peter did not care.
He slipped underneath the gate, and was safe at last in the wood outside the garden.
Mr. McGregor hung up the little jacket and the shoes for a scare-crow to frighten the blackbirds.
Peter never stopped running or looked behind him till he got home to the big fir tree.
He was so tired that he flopped down upon the nice soft sand on the floor of the rabbit-hole,
and shut his eyes. His mother was busy cooking - she wondered what he had done with his clothes. It was the second little jacket and pair of shoes that Peter had lost in a fortnight!
I am sorry to say that Peter was not very well during the evening.
His mother put him to bed, and made some camomile tea - and she gave a dose of it to Peter!
"One tablespoonful to be taken at bedtime."
But Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail had bread and milk and blackberries, for supper.
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